Boyz to Men

Rory

Danny (L) and Ryo (R)

(Photos by AP/Rob Carr/Charlie Riedel)

Clearly, it's all about the Young Gunners this week at Augusta. Never have there been more sub-20 somethings with a legitimate chance to compete. On Ryo, on Rory and don't forget Danny - what a badass bunch. At 54 combined years on earth, they're collectively as old as Greg Norman. Good thing their games have a maturity-at this age-unlike any we've seen. All three have won pro events, Rory and Ryo have pro cards, while Danny is an amateur through the end of this week. (Playing the Masters as US Am champ, he'll turn pro on Monday after the event.) The best thing for golf fans is all three are real personalities. Ryo is a 300 yard drive blasting Brangelina in his native Japan, over here he laughs and regales us with his love for cheeseburgers and colorful pants. (He and Poulter played a practice round Monday.) Danny too is brimming with enthusiasm, but at times realistic - He says he's learned from watching his hero, Tiger, that you need that assh*le streak to be successful on the course, but he's got more of a X-Games attitude off it. And Rory, the cabbage patch kid. The elder at 19 years, he's got the best chance to not only make the cut, but make an impact. Soft-spoken and seriously talented, he's known more for his Noonan-esque bush of hair and toothy smile than any one-liners he's delivered in the press. One thing is for sure, all three Muskateers will leave Augusta a little wiser in the ways of what it takes to win a pro major; Not to mention becoming familiar characters to millions and millions of worldwide fans. If there's a secret to any success they may have this week, we may just have found it back in that last sentence...characters... that's for sure...all three of 'em...